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24
Isabella had never been so happy to see the lights of home. She hurried inside, knowing her parents would be anxious to see that she was safe.
Maya stood in the foyer and pointed down the hall. “They are both in your father’s room.”
Isabella called to them as she ran the distance. “Mama! Papi! I’m home! I’m here!”
She burst into her father’s room through the open door and found him sitting in a chair by the fire. Her mother stood behind him. Both were crying tears of joy and smiling.
Knowing how worried they’d been, Isabella began to cry as well. “I’m so sorry.” She embraced her mother, who cradled her close like a baby.
“We’re so glad you are safe. We feared the worst at first, but God calmed our fears, and we knew Diego wouldn’t hurt you.”
“No, he didn’t hurt me. Neither did the other two.” She pulled away and leaned down to hug her father. “I hurt my ribs on the ride up, but otherwise I’m fine.”
Papi held her in a tight grip, but then his strength gave way and his arms fell to his side. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
“Aaron told me you caught the other two men—that you didn’t lose your money.”
“I wouldn’t have cared if I did, so long as it meant you’d come home safe,” her father declared. “You know that nothing matters to me save your mother and you.”
Isabella met his gaze and nodded. “I do, Papi. I thought a lot about that while I was a prisoner in our cabin.”
“Tell us what happened.” Her father looked at her and then Aaron as he stepped into the room. “Tell us everything.”
Aaron smiled. “I’ll let her start. She was already on the run when we got there.”
Papi laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
“I just kept looking for a chance to escape. When the men first took me, I had no idea who was behind the scheme, but then I realized it had to be Diego. He had actually spoken to me of just such a plan months ago. He wanted me to run away with him and get married against your will. He said we’d stage a kidnapping and get the money. He would pretend to save me, and that would cause you to agree to our marriage. And if that didn’t work, we could just run off and elope. I told him the whole idea was ridiculous and that I’d have no part in it. Partly because of what I feared it would do to you, but also because I no longer wanted to marry him.”
“So what happened? How did they take you? Rudy and Jorge are the ones who grabbed you, but they’ve said very little. I’m sure they’re going to confess everything, however. We promised to go easier on them if they cooperated.”
“Papi, I don’t want you to charge anyone. I don’t even want Diego to go to jail.” She raised her hand as he started to protest. “I know he broke the law and caused so much trouble, but we both know he isn’t really a criminal. He’s just lost. He has shirked so many responsibilities and ignored the truth his entire life.”
“That’s why I think he should go to jail,” Papi replied. “He needs to learn that there are consequences for his actions. All of his life he’s managed to avoid them. I love that your heart is so tender, but I think he needs to learn his lesson.”
“So do I. He could have killed you like he did your aunt,” Aaron said.
Isabella could see his anger. “He didn’t kill Aunt Josephina. We talked about that. He admitted they did argue on the stairs and that he grabbed her arm. She pulled away, however, and lost her balance.”
“And you believe that?”
“I do.” Isabella nodded. “The way he told me, it wasn’t as if he were making excuses or trying to get out of something. It was just the facts, and I believe him.”
“He still could have stopped to help her.”
“I agree. He should have.” Isabella took a seat on the edge of the bed. “He acknowledges that running away was cowardly and wrong. I think the shock was too much. It’s hard to tell what any of us might do in the same situation.”
“I’d stay and help,” Aaron said firmly.
“I’d like to think we all would,” Isabella continued, “but I can’t be sure I would have. Fear and surprise often make us act in ways we might not otherwise.”
“He’s done a lot of wrong—hurt a lot of people beyond what happened to your aunt,” Papi said. “Diego needs to face what he’s done. He knew taking you by force was wrong. He knew demanding money for your return was equally wrong. He deserves to be tried and convicted of it all.”
“Absolutely,” Aaron growled.
Mama seemed to understand, though. “We all deserve conviction for our wrongs. Thankfully, we have a Savior.”
